“Lily has been shown some different techniques to try and deal with her anxiety which we use at home when things are tough. This coaching has been a game changer for us, it has given Lily back her confidence and drive and I am so grateful of the chance to partake in this coaching. Such a small contribution has made a massive difference to Lily’s life.” (Sue, coached child parent)
Back in July 2022, Transforming Lives for Good (TLG), a national, award-winning charity that works to support struggling children across the UK, received a large grant of £46,248 to enable the charity to launch new Early Intervention centres across the UK.
The Early Intervention programme, brings a practical solution to support struggling children and their families by connecting them with trained volunteer coaches who can offer one-to-one mentoring in school for one hour a week for at least a year.
Approaching the two-year delivery period, the CPT is delighted to report that overall:
• 728 children, identified as at risk of exclusion by schools, have been supported
• 447 volunteer coaches have been able to get alongside a struggling child with 168 new coaches trained
• 127 Early Intervention centres have been active across the UK
• 256 different schools have benefitted from a local Early Intervention centre
• 86% of coached children have shown at least a one-point improvement in their Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) scores.
Bishop Richard Moth, the chair of the CPT said:
“We have accompanied this brilliant partner over the last two years and have been impressed with how they have done even more than they hoped with our grant. The impact they achieve with the children and families they work with is a game changer for many. While a one-point improvement in the nationally recognised, in-depth behavioural screening questionnaire they use to measure progress may sound small, it actually represents a significant change as it focuses on improving behaviours which are known to lead to long term difficulties in remaining in school. They turn this risk around for so many children.”
Such positive impact is reported by the schools using the TLG mentoring programme. A headteacher from Devon reported:
“Their mental health and wellbeing has visibly improved for all the children who have received support from TLG and their sense of belonging. Back in class, every child has increasingly been more engaged with their learning and the number of behaviour incidents reduced. All the children look forward to their weekly sessions and as a result are more positive around the school more generally too.”
Paul Chenery, Director of Innovation and Delivery at TLG, said;
“The next phase of this project will continue to focus on the work being done by our Church Partnerships and Regional Leader teams, as we create new Early Intervention centres across the UK. With 71 churches currently in the Early Intervention opportunity pipeline with the Church Partnerships team and 197 volunteers awaiting training, there is plenty to be done as we continue with this project.”
